


Two-Faced

by Dream_Wreaver



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, David is Awkward Bean, Nutty Professor AU, Other, Polyamory, mentions of past relationships - Freeform, perhaps?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-21 00:59:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12445908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Wreaver/pseuds/Dream_Wreaver
Summary: When Professor David Greenwood falls in love with a Grad Student in his department he knows it can never be. But pile on the constant ridicule and disdain from his students and his own self-loathing and something's bound to break. David vows to change himself, but will it come at a price?





	Two-Faced

**Author's Note:**

> I was working on a sequel to Camptown Rivalries, but then this idea struck. Hope you guys enjoy it, though I'm going to be honest and say I have no major plot points in mind so I have no idea how this is going to go. So let's just enjoy the ride, okay?

Campbell University was the school for slackers. They charged as much tuition as a high society institution, but accepted pretty much anyone who could pay for college at all. It was a required for kids whose parents wanted them to attend college but the kids themselves didn’t care whether they did or not. And it boasted enough majors to recommend it to slackers of all types. Of course, being a semi-private institution most students would end up paying a portion and money from all sorts of grants and outside scholarships would go to keep the school functioning. But then, most students who came to Campbell University would always end up staying there since it offered a ride from undergrad to graduate student. More time and ways to squeeze cash out. But people still applied, still got accepted, still attended.

The facilities, dorms and sports complexes and such, were in the most optimal condition they could be considering how much money went to them versus how much money went into the founder’s pocket. But grants and government money occasionally brought in the new piece of equipment or two, but usually only for the stem fields. If theatre majors wanted a better stage they would learn practical stagecraft with the aspiring architects and build it themselves. If someone’s computer went down tech support had to teach them how to fix it themselves, as they were stretched too thin. Still, the school produced graduates who got jobs in their fields… so who could complain about the results?

The faculty, on the other hand, were often less than pleased to be teaching there. They cycled out quite frequently, as their paycheck started low as visiting professors, and the few who reached tenure said the pay raise was not worth sticking on unless for some reason you just really enjoyed the school as a whole. And there was always that one. Dr. David Greenwood, professor of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry at Campbell University. The youngest professor hired at the age of twenty-seven it was now only four years later and he was already tenured. Well, considering how passionate he was about his work, and how awkward he could be when not discussing it, it made sense. The general consensus among his students was that -while Professor Greenwood was a nice man and an easy grader so long as you showed even a modicum of enthusiasm for the subject- he had no life outside the lab. Most of them thought he was aromantic, considering how bad he was at interacting with people, or perhaps that he might split himself in two via mitosis.

What most students didn’t know was that those assumptions weren’t the case at all. David Greenwood was a man of romance and passion for things other than his science, the problem was he just wasn’t very good at expressing himself. He was also kind of awkward just in general. Built like a giant (comparatively speaking) he was tall and lean and gangly and lanky. Beanpole had been the most common name he’d been called since he hit puberty. And as of nearly three years ago, an unrequited crush had made it difficult to concentrate. Her name was Gwen Santos, and she had been a junior when he’d begun his teaching career at Campbell University. He’d thought nothing of her then, she’d taken the class to fulfill a last minute prereq she’d left undone, but the next semester he began seeing her everywhere. She decided to add a science major on top of her already completed liberal arts and psych majors. Senior year she had made the decision to pursue her graduate degree in science, specifically in chemistry. And now she acted as TA for some of his classes. He worked closely with her, and innocent colleagues, mentor and student. That had been how it all began. And now he simply couldn’t stop it. Did he know it was wrong and if he were to ever make a move on her it would end badly? Of course, he knew what the rules were, knew both he and the university could get slapped with a sexual harassment suit were he to ever act on his feelings. And more than that, he never wanted to be one of those professors, the ones who flaunted their power as a member of the community -usually highly esteemed and respected and credible even if they lied- to get what they wanted from students that laws were in place to prevent. But he couldn’t stop his feelings regardless.

It often left him a bumbling, fumbling mess. If she was around he would trip over his words and his feet. If she wasn’t he was often distracted thinking about her -usually during his practical experiments- and ended up getting a rather explosive reaction from putting in a wrong amount or not watching the reactants carefully. Sometimes it even happened in the middle of a class demonstration. He was fairly often the butt of a joke, most of the time due to his own actions and the sarcastic quips of one of his students.

Ah Max, a bright kid to be certain but a troublemaker nonetheless. The only reason he was taking the class was because his friends Neil and Nikki required it for their own fields of study. Nikki wanted to be trained as either a wildlife rescue agent or a veterinarian. Neil definitely wanted a job in the scientific field, he just had yet to settle on a concentration. Max was no slouch, in fact he got some of the best grades in the class. The problem was he never liked to actively apply himself. When asked a question during a lecture it was always a smartass retort that came out of his mouth. He took every opportunity to either make a fool out of David with some juvenile prank, tear him down with cheap shots at his height or over enthusiastic disposition, or simply call to attention simple things. David tried to let it slide off his back, it was just Max being a rebellious kid. So long as David could instill something from his class in the boy it was all worth it.

Even so, the continuous jabs, coupled with his own past issues with self-esteem, meant that sometimes it was harder to ignore. Adding in his anxiety over accidently letting something slip to the woman he loved and… well the events about to unfold suddenly didn’t seem so implausible.

CC

Per Campbell’s request, David had been working on an elixir which could alter a person’s bearing and appearance enough to be unrecognizable. The neurological aspects, those were easy to get, figuring out what combinations would light up different parts of one’s brain and en effect trigger an alteration of a person’s personality was easy. The difficult part was the physical aspect. Reconstructing the way a person’s genetic code developed and manifested itself was a lot more difficult than anyone would expect. And the worst part about this whole ordeal was that every batch needed constant observation, but David loved his students too much to give up a lecture unless he had a broken bone, and so there were constant experiment failures which were the result of trying to multitask on two things that needed complete attention from their performer.

As per usual the students laughed because of a jab made by Max. And David merely put on a smile as he dusted himself off. He attempted to finish the lecture but at that point the students were riled up and there would be no gaining control over what had happened. With a seemingly good-natured sigh he dismissed the class, assigning more homework in addition.

“What the fuck man?” Max groaned, “Why you gotta pile that shit on us?”

With a twitch in his eye David kept his winning smile on and replied, “Well Max your homework was going to be the relatively easy chapter with minimal questions in your textbook but because we didn’t manage to finish the explanatory lecture in class today you will need to read it all and figure it out for yourself because I intend to stick to the syllabus Max!” his voice had escalated a bit during the course of his speech, agitation showing through, but a breath calmed him down and his smile returned, “If anyone has any questions feel free to drop by for office hours, or contact Gwen, enjoy your weekend everybody!”

“Why don’t you just give up?” Max asked as David scurried about with his beakers and notes, “You’re never going to get anyone to give a shit about this stuff. They’re just biding their time and taking this for a credit while they wait for a real class to come around.”

“Your friends are already in science majors Max,” David replied, “And what about you? I know you’re bright, so what do you want to do with your life?”

“Right now, all I want is for you to stop teaching. You act like science is the most important fucking thing on the planet and that’s all you can think about! For fuck’s sake, even Neil has more friends than you do!”

“You don’t know about my private life,” David rebutted.

“That’s because you don’t  _ have _ one,” Max shot back, “I’ve seen you wear the same outfit several days in a row because you fall asleep here at the school! I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t even have an apartment because you can always stay at your office! You’re being used by the shitty founder of this shitty college that only exists because it allows said shitty founder to get handouts for the government by allowing minority kids into his school. And you think it was a  _ coincidence _ you’re the youngest hired and tenured here? That’s because no one else wants to stay here! Your research isn’t going to do any one any good, and neither is trying to teach us about things only you care about! Just give it up already and stop trying,”

David simply stood there taking the verbal onslaught. With an impassive face he replied, “If I can teach one student one thing they thought themselves incapable of before Max, that makes everything worth it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have experiments to get back to.”

Shaking his head in a rather pitying manner, Max finished gathering up his books and left the lab where the class was held. And that left David. All alone, all by himself, as usual. Or, it would have been had the sound of high heels clicking against the floor not made their way to his ears. Turning around brought the light in his life outside his work into view.

“Professor Greenwood,” Gwen said, coming into the room dressed in a lab coat of her own, “I heard everything in the hall. Did Max get to you again?”

He could have listened to her speak for hours, but she expected a response out of him, “No Gwen, it was no worse than usual. Whatever his problem is, he just seems to like taking it out on me.”

“Why do you let him?”

“I’m not sure myself,” David admitted, brushing down his clothes from the latest mess that had stained them, “Maybe I feel like if he yells at me enough, he might start to open up by accident. I know he refuses to go to the on-campus counselling services.”

“That’s because they suck Professor,”

“I suppose you have a point, and I’ve told you a thousand times; call me David please. We’re colleagues now.”

“It just doesn’t feel right for some reason,” Gwen argued.

“You call Jasper by his first name,” David pointed out.

“He came after you and I never had him as an instructor,” Gwen parried, “You’ll always be Professor Greenwood to me.”

And if that wasn’t a statement that applied to their whole relationship, he didn’t know what would be. But even though hearing those words stabbed like a knife into his heart he still smiled at her.

“I know, but hearing you call me that makes me feel like a forty-year old. I’m not an old man yet.”

Gwen laughed, “I suppose that’s true,”

And suddenly he was asking her out, “Say, would you mind having dinner with me?” seeing her rather startled expression he tried to rectify his mistake, “I mean, as a colleague of course. I’ve just been holed up over this experiment Dean Campbell has me working on… I thought a new setting and some good company might be a nice change of pace.”

“What is it Campbell’s got you working on again?”

“He wants me to develop a sort of shape-shifter serum. Something that can alter a person’s personality and physical appearance. The cognitive part I’ve got down, but the physical aspects are what’s giving me trouble…”

“And you want my input on this?”

“I doubt it could harm the experiments, considering every one of them so far has been a resounding failure,” he joked.

Gwen chewed her lip as she thought it over a moment. Finally, she smiled at him and said, “What the hell? Why not?”

CC

They ended up going to one of the slightly higher-class restaurants in their tiny college town. The food was good and in David’s opinion, the company was even better. They were both unwinding with a glass of wine and talking breezily about the research subject. And then it happened. Another colleague, Dr. Jasper Deaunt noticed them and strode over. A scientist who focused more on the chemistry of the brain and its electrical impulses, but was just as good at being a normal person outside of his field of study. A skill David had yet to master.

“Hey guys,” Jasper sidled up to them, “How’s it been going?”

“Good,” Gwen answered, “Professor Greenwood had just been asking for my input on some research he’s been doing.”

“I can’t say I blame him, you bring a unique insight from what I’ve seen of your work.”

And from there the conversation drifted steadily to more mundane things. Home life, hobbies, all the things David wanted to be able to talk about with ease, but every previous opportunity had led to disaster. And yet Jasper could do it with such ease. Despite having known the man  _ very well _ for years and knowing there was no way Jasper would do something like this on purpose, David was incredibly jealous. Abruptly he stood from his seat and pulled out his wallet, tossing a few bills onto the table. Startled by this action Gwen and Jasper looked at him the with same confused expression on their faces.

Jasper was the one who spoke up, “David? Where you going?”

“I,” David nearly squeaked. He felt awkward and uncomfortable and an outsider at something he had miraculously managed to put together. A third-wheel, just like always, “I have my experiments to get back to. Don’t worry about your wallet Gwen, what I put down should cover the bill. I hope you both have a pleasant evening, goodnight.”

And despite the calm pace of his walk, David bolted. Gwen just watched him leave, and now she was the one feeling like she was missing something. To which effect she stated out loud.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Jasper soothed her, “David’s just… It might still be awkward for him is all.”

“Awkward? Why?”

“I,” Jasper stopped for a second, “I’m not sure how he would feel about you knowing this… but…”

“But what?” Gwen pressed when the other stopped again, “Tell me!”

“I will, but you have to promise not to bring it up to him,” Jasper replied, “I think it might be a bit of a sore spot still.”

“I promise,”

“Alright,” Jasper sighed, “David and I used to date.”

Gwen blinked once, twice, three times in a nonplussed manner, “Excuse me? You mean you… and him… you were… I mean you-”

“Yes,” Jasper nodded, “We were both young and in our experimental phases. I think I was his first real relationship. And of course now we work together… David’s a sweet man, but he’s a little shy, and awkward some-  _ most _ of the time. He tries, and it’s adorable, but it means he has a bit of trouble asserting himself or even following a normal conversation sometimes.”

“Why did you two…?”

“Break up?” Jasper laughed, “I wish I knew. One day we just sort of looked at each other and realized something. I’m not sure what that something even  _ was _ , but we stopped calling each other and hanging out as much as we used to. And eventually we just sort of fell out of contact. I wouldn’t call it a proper breakup, but since I joined the staff he’s been nothing but pleasant and even friendly to me.”

“Do you think he wants to get back together with you?”

Jasper’s gaze flitted from the face of his companion to the remains David had left of his presence. The half-full glass of red wine, something David only drank while trying to unwind and open up with someone, the nearly untouched portions of some of his food -likely due to nerves- told Jasper that David had liked being out with Gwen so much that it had made him nervous. Just the way the boy had been then Jasper had first started dating him. With a cordial smile Jasper replied, “No, no I can’t say I do.”

CC

David had rushed back to his lab in a frenzy of jealousy. He wasn’t necessarily worried about Jasper and Gwen, he knew what kind of person his former boyfriend was. In fact, the very reason he was jealous had to do with why they were no longer together. Even as a couple, David had always been envious of the easy, relaxed way Jasper could interact with other people. And perhaps his resentment had grown palpable enough that Jasped had sensed something had been wrong. But rather than try to confront the problem, they had both withdrawn until there was nothing between them anymore.

David didn’t want to lose Gwen, even if he could never have her in the first place. He wanted to be the one she could come to for something as menial as mindless chatter. Someone to share the events of her day with, someone she could call a friend. He didn’t want to be just a colleague, some princess holed up in her ivory tower with no possible way to properly interact with the world below. He needed to do something about it.

Chemicals measured and mixed and boiled and bubbled. Into vials and beakers and test tubes held over flames. The physical part of the elixir would have to be shelved. For now, David just wanted to change his personality. At some ungodly hour he held up a single formula -with its recipe and data written down just to be safe- in a small vial. As a rule David didn’t believe in testing on animals. And there would be only one other way to observe the results of this experiment. Closing his eyes and hoping this wouldn’t be the last thing he would do, David opened his mouth and down the hatch the liquid went.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know guys, should I continue? Should I not? Is there a way I can improve? Comment below. Until next time!


End file.
